


The Longest Night

by Dreamy_Dragon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: hoggywartyxmas, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:21:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26649718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamy_Dragon/pseuds/Dreamy_Dragon
Summary: Missing scene from OotP; what happens after Minerva is attacked by the Aurors?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	The Longest Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sigune](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=sigune).



> Originally written as a gift for sigune for the Hoggywartyxmas exchange 2019 on LiveJournal

Pomona had no idea how long she had sat, cross-legged, on the floor staring at nothing in the darkness. The only light was coming from the soft glow of the nocturnal plants. Occasionally a leaf rustled or a vine swished softly to and fro. Otherwise it was completely silent.

Until the door flew open and Wilhelmina strode in. 'Came as soon as I heard.'

At Pomona's blank look, she explained. 'Filius sent an owl. Suggested we meet somewhere out of the way.'

As Wilhelmina continued to look down at her, Pomona realised that she was probably supposed to say something. She made a non-committal sound. 

Wilhelmina huffed. 'Didn't you have a table somewhere at the back there?' She pulled her wand out of the holster at her hip and flicked it once in the direction of the door. 'No uninvited guests from now on,' she explained. 'Door was open.'

'Up you get.' Her tone made it very clear that it wasn't a request, so Pomona followed her to the worktable at the back of the greenhouse.

Three spells later, the space was lit, shielded from curious eyes and a couple of chairs surrounded the table. 

'Sit,' Wilhelmina commanded. She peered along the shelves that lined the back wall and quickly spotted the small cabinet, almost hidden by a pot of Fanged Geraniums. She nodded to herself as she retrieved the bottle of Ogden's, conjured two glasses and poured them both a generous shot.

'Drink.' 

Again Pomona followed her order. As the sharp liquid ran down her throat, she felt some warmth return to her bones and some of the numbness leave her mind. She looked around as if she was seeing the greenhouse for the first time, and then at the witch sitting opposite her. 'Thank you.'

Wilhelmina just nodded. 'Bad times.'

'Four stunners. To the chest. At her age.' The more the numbness faded, the more fear crept through her veins.

'Damn shame.' Wilhelmina batted away a-too-friendly vine that was trying to wrap itself around her throat. 

They heard the sound of the greenhouse door opening and closing. Despite Wilhelmina's protective spell, both witches had their wands at the ready and didn't lower them until they spotted Filius making his way towards them. 

'There you are,' he greeted them, sounding not quite like his usual composed self.

Wilhelmina simply conjured another glass, poured another generous shot of Pomona's whisky and pushed it towards Filius. He adjusted his chair before he downed it in one gulp. 'Thanks, I needed that.'

'Any news?' Pomona asked.

Before he had time to answer, Severus appeared among the plants and found himself staring at the business end of three wands that were only lowered when the others recognised him. 

'Didn't hear you come in,' Wilhelmina said.

Severus only raised an eyebrow before a glass appeared in front of him and he poured himself some of the remaining whisky and took a slow sip.

'Any news?' Pomona asked again.

'She is still critical. It all depends on whether she makes it through the night. Poppy is with her,' Severus replied. 'No one is allowed into the hospital wing.'

'She threw him out because he kept hovering at Minerva's bedside and getting in the way.' Filius said.

Severus threw him a look. 'Only after you were asked to vacate the premises because you kept brandishing your wand about.'

Filius looked sheepish. 'Only trying to help,' he mumbled into his empty glass.

'Fully-qualified healer.' 

All eyes turned to Wilhelmina.

'Poppy.' 

Pomona's eyes widened. 'I'd no idea and I've known her since we were both ickle firsties.' She had recovered enough to look sternly at an enquiring tendril of Venomous Tentacula that was trying to sneak across the table. The tendril withdrew and – if asked – everyone present would have agreed that it had a sulky expression. 

'Minerva knows.' Severus told her.

'And apparently so do you,' said Filius.

Severus only raised an eyebrow.

'But why wouldn't she tell anyone? And why work as a school nurse?' Pomona asked.

'To avoid exactly that question.' Wilhelmina said. 'Just as other staff members won't tell their colleagues about the articles they publish under a pseudonym.' Her eyes remained fixed on Pomona.

Both Severus and Filius were looking at Pomona like they were seeing her for the first time. 

'Tea, anyone?' She asked, bustling over to the tea station in the corner.

Tea seemed like an excellent idea, so they all nodded.

***

Pomona came back to the table, a tray containing a pot of tea, a milk jug, a bowl of sugars and four mismatched mugs floating behind her. She poured the tea and, once everyone had doctored their tea to their liking and taken a sip, they sat in silence.

An hour might have passed or just a few minutes when Pomona said, 'I actually remember Minerva's sorting. All the first years were terrified. Not Minerva – at least she didn't look like she was. Strode to the sorting hat as if she'd done it a hundred times before.'

'Didn't take it a while to get her sorted?' asked Filius, casting a quick Lumos at a too friendly tendril of Devil's Snare that had started to wind itself around his ankle.

'Hat couldn't make up its mind whether to put her in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor,' said Wilhelmina.

'The hat obviously made the right choice,' Severus said softly. 'No silly bravado, but true courage.'

'She would have done well in Ravenclaw, too, I think,' added Filius.

Wilhelmina said. 'Would have done well in every house.'

Pomona nodded. 'Good people usually do. Don't get me wrong, I love Hufflepuff, but don't you think all those house clichés are a bit silly? I mean we've seen it all, lazy Hufflepuffs, stupid Ravenclaws and so on.'

Filius cast another Lumos at the Devil's Snare who was still attempting to wind itself around his leg before he said, 'Very true and in many cases they do more harm than good to the students.'

'Agreed. Unfortunately, not everyone shares your opinion.' Severus said a little tersely. 'Until they do, I will rather continue to look out for my Slytherins if you don't mind.'

'Of course you will protect your little snakelets. Filius and I will look after ours as well and Minerva will protect her cubs. That is, if…' Pomona made a move as if to grab her mug before her hand sank back onto the table.

'There is no "if" here,' Wilhelmina said firmly. 

Silence reigned again, until Filius startled them all by jumping up and chasing the frivolous Devil's Snare into a corner with a couple of rapid spells that looked like a combination of Lumos and fiery sparks. 

Sitting down again, he said, 'Two or three years ago after Minerva and I had a pint at the Three Broomsticks we were on our way back when we ran into a couple of youngsters who thought we were no match for them.'

'What happened?'

'We had words. After a bit, wands were drawn. They were five against us two and they were good. Knew a lot of the nastier jinxes and hexes. It was touch and go there for a while, but in the end they left us alone and they'll think twice before messing with unsuspecting witches or wizards again. You should have seen Minerva's casting. Quick, clever and very precise. That woman is one fine duellist.'

'High praise coming from you,' Pomona said.

'I only give credit where credit is due.'

'She is a fighter.' Wilhelmina kept drawing little circles on the table with her pipe stem. 'Also a good friend.'

'Had an owl once. Fell out of the nest and I found her. Scrawny little thing. Didn't think she'd make it, but she did. Was with me for years. Lived to a right old age. The night she-- 

Wilhelmina swallowed. 'Minerva came. Sat with me through the night. Took care of everything.' 

Pomona took her hand, and the four friends sat in silence once more. Outside the sky was beginning to lighten. 

As the grey took on a pink tinge, Severus spoke. 'In my first year of teaching here, Minerva was one of the most vocal in voicing her distrust of me.'

Filius and Pomona suddenly found their empty mugs very interesting.

'The next year, she seemed to at least tolerate my presence. I would have been content with that. After all my reputation preceded me.'

Wilhelmina huffed.

'We both follow the League, so whoever got to the newspaper first would hog the sports pages. One day she came over, put the sports pages down in front of me and told me she thought Appleby was doing rather well this season. To which I replied that Portree wasn't doing too badly either. At which point she sat down and we had an almost amiable chat.'

Pomona nearly smiled. 'She considers you a good friend, too.'

Severus acknowledged her statement with a simple nod.

The sun had come up outside by the time Severus had finished, but nobody felt like leaving. 

Some time later – none of the four could say how much later – there was a soft pecking at one of the greenhouse windows and they could see a tiny Scops owl hovering outside. Pomona rose to let it in. It landed right in the middle of the table, holding out its leg that had a roll of parchment attached to it. Nobody made a move; they all just kept staring at the owl's leg. 

It was Severus who finally untied the letter with a slightly trembling hand. 

He unrolled it and read. He blinked several times before reading it again.

'It is from Poppy,' he said. 'Minerva is still unconscious, but stable. She is taking her to St. Mungo's now.'

fin


End file.
